Apply, Apply, Apply

by Kortney Pierce
(Indianapolis, IN, United States)

Applying for scholarships can be a long, painful process. However, one thing I have learned from the process is that you can NEVER apply for too many scholarships.

When I was applying for scholarships my senior year of high school, I would be picky about which ones I applied for. I would make excuses about why I wouldn't apply, such as "this one's too hard" or "I'll never get this one", etc.

Another thing I have learned is don't put it off. Start applying for scholarships as soon as school starts. Ask your counselor about scholarship opportunities, go online and search for scholarships, watch the deadlines and make sure you fill them out with plenty of time before the due date.

If you are unsure about what the essay is about, ask somebody: an English teacher, a parent, or if all else fails, find someone to email about it. The more scholarships you apply for, the higher your chances are of getting more scholarships. One of my friends in high school got so many scholarships that she was paid to go to college.

I have even applied for scholarships I wasn't quite sure if I was eligible for. The worst thing they could do is not give you the scholarship. Applying for scholarships takes patience, but if you put your best effort into it, it WILL be worth it.

Another helpful hint is to have someone proof read your essays, or proof-read them yourself. In high school, I would have my English teacher proof read all of my scholarship essays. She gave me a good insight as to what the scholarship was asking for and could edit my papers for grammar and spelling mistakes.

Another helpful hint about college finances is to make sure you pick a school you can afford. Don't pick a small, expensive private school if you cannot afford it. There are hundreds of colleges out there to choose from. Be wise and choose an affordable college over an expensive college. The most important thing to realize when applying for scholarships is that you won't get every scholarship you apply for, so it is SO important to apply for as many as you possibly can, as soon as you possibly can. Don't hesitate to ask questions and be dedicated and patient. Your hard work WILL pay off.

Read more College Financial Aid Tips from other students and parents who have been through process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Kortney for your helpful hints on applying for scholarships. There are thousands of scholarships available for those who apply. Be sure to check out some of our scholarship lists on our website too. Best of luck to you.

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Steps for Scholarship Search

by Lakeshia Anderson
(Long Beach, CA)

Searching for scholarships for college can be very time consuming. I always tell myself that I will start applying for scholarships but never get around to doing it. This time around I have applied for scholarships by developing the following steps for scholarship search.

1. Scholarship hunting when you have free time (When you have a break or vacation from school.)

2. Researching and finding the best scholarship that you qualify for helps prevent wasting time and rejection.

3. Creating a schedule or calendar and placing scholarships on the calendar so that you can see when scholarships are due will help you get all material in on time.

4. When scholarships require that you write difficult and lengthy essays make sure that even if the scholarship’s deadline is a month or 2 away that you brainstorm and write rough drafts and possibly submit early.

5. Don’t wait right before the deadline to submit scholarships because some of them might require material that you cannot obtain in one day, for example official transcripts.

6. Making sure you thoroughly read all the requirements that are needed for each scholarship. You don’t want to have to get your scholarship thrown out on a technicality.

7. If there are too many scholarships that you qualify for are due all around the same time and you can’t apply for all of them. Evaluate which ones are best for you. You may want to apply for all of the smaller ones that are less time consuming are apply for one or two of the larger ones that require that you write challenging essays.

These are steps that I live by because applying for scholarships can be a job in itself. When you have school, work, family and social life it can be hard to find time for other things. But I think that scholarships should be a high priority in your life especially if you want to save money while you are going to school.

Read more College Financial Aid Advice from other students and parents who have been through process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Lakeshia for sharing your steps for scholarship search. I’m sure these will be very helpful to other students. Good luck to you.

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Applying for Scholarships

Scholarship and Grants for College

by Wesley Raeburn

College education is getting extremely expensive, the cost of tuition is continuing to escalate. Student and parents should start early.

My name is Wesley Raeburn. As a high school senior I am taking advantages of all the Scholarships and Grants that I can apply towards.

We sometimes forget to contact the school Guidance Counselor for resources available for financial aid assistance. There are a myriad number of scholarships available for students to apply for but they require hard work and a lot of time.

In addition to the hard work and time that they must put into the scholarship application packet, they must also keep their grades up at the school they are attending. Grades and involvement play a big role in the chance of you being chosen as a scholarship recipient.

Also students should visit college campus where they are applying to see what other scholarships is available.

With all the technology that is available today. Parents and students should communicate on Facebook, Twitter, and with their friends and relatives that have been through the college process. Individuals that have already been through the college process are helpful resources in making sure that they apply for as many scholarships and grants as possible.

It’s extremely helpful in writing a scholarship essay to always review spelling, grammar, punctuation and basic sentence structure. It would also help in writing your essay to show creativity. It's also important to make sure your thoughts are well organized, show your smarts, and innovation. There are thousands of these essays being read, you want to stand out and have the attention of the reader.

We are in tough times, while any amount of free money will be acceptable. The sooner you apply for grants the better of a chance you will have to get money.

Paying for college is often challenging. Be sure when applying for grants your college is accredited. Attend a college recognized by a national or regional agency. There are several grants available at the Department of Education and Financial Aid Department for students who are in need due to low income. Of course not all students grants are for low income families. Please read all guidelines and don’t miss deadlines to be eligible for grant money. Even if you don't qualify for grants from the federal government, that doesn't mean that you should stop there. There are so many corporations and local businesses within the cities that support and give away scholarships to qualifying students.

Read more College Financial Aid Tips from other students and parents who have been through process.

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Comment from your friendly team at College Financial Aid Advice

Thank you Wesley for sharing your tips on finding scholarships and grants for college. Check out some of our scholarship and grant lists and pay attention to those deadlines. Good luck to you in college.

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Submit your entry in our College Essay Contest:

To share your entry in our scholarship contest, just click here.

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